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Dean Harper
Full Name: 'Dean Obadiah Harper *'Gender: 'Male *'Age: '25 *'Theme Song: 'My Enemies Lay Beaneath the Prairie (Gangstagrass) High on a Mountain Top (Loretta Lynn) *'Occupation: 'Fixer *'Faction: 'Roller Banditos *'Playlist: '''On Grooveshark History Born and raised in Elisie, an unincorporated town located in the Eastern coal field region in rural, Appalachian Kentucky. Dean's family was primarily coal miners, his father and uncles working in the mines just as their fathers and their fathers before them had done. He grew up poor, though he would not realize how poor until much later in life, but never wanted for much. The Harpers were a close-knit group and the community around them even moreso; people helped each other in Elsie. This was a good thing for the Harper clan was no stranger to trouble or worries. Those who did not go down to the coal mines (and even some who did) ran afoul of the law. Fights, theft, moonshine making and running, even a murder or two, all these acts colored the name and the people. So it was seen a good thing, a blessing, when Samuel Harper (the man who would become Dean's father) caught the eye and heart of Katie Mae Dame, the daughter of the local preacher. Surely if anyone could bring a Harper to heel, it would be a woman of the church and this seemed to be the case. Oh, there was still the occaisional bar fight but Samuel knuckled down and put his family above all else. Married at 18, parents before either was legal to drink, the young family was happy by all accounts. The eldest son, Harlow, was followed five years later by Dean, Wade and Amaryllis, the only girl. These blessings were tempered with hard times, however. Following the birth of Amaryllis, Katie Mae seemed to come down with a particularly long-lingering flu. No remedy store-bought or home-brewed could shake the illness consuming the young mother. A doctor and hospital were needed but both weren't to be found in Elsie and even if there were, there was no money for either. On the verge of doing something criminal and truly regrettable, Samuel caught wind of a job opportunity in a far-off city. The pay was more than he would ever dream of seeing in the mines and, more than that, there was the promise of doctors and specialists and hospitals. He discussed it with his wife and though the decision did not come easy - both dearly loved Kentucky and their kin - they agreed that moving would be for the best for their family. Harlow was the first to go with his parents, packing up what little he possessed and boarding a plane for the first time in his life. This was in X082. Dean followed two years later, in X084 at the age of 8, and the plan was to have Wade and Amaryllis come out occumpanied by an aunt another year or so after that. The plan, of course, under went a drastic change. Katie Mae died during the chaos of V-Day and her family fell to pieces. Samuel Harper lost himself in the bottle and her sons turned to the skills that had seen their forefathers' survival through dark times. Harlow Harper was killed in a bar fight in X091. Dean lives on, carrying the memory of his family and his home. Personality A hell of a nice guy, Dean is easy-going and easy living. He comes across, thanks to the Kentucky accent he never shook, as something of a rube; a naive young man who, perhaps, doesn't quite understand what big city life is all about. The people who make the mistake of underestimating him because of this impression usually don't live very long. Dean is a ruthless, calculating fighter and killer. He knows how to best cause the maximum amount of pain to a body and leave a dancer crippled for life. He's the man the factions call when a message needs to be sent or a problem is need of a solution. He's also a hopeless romantic, a steadfast friend and a man who lives with the daily heartbreak of homesickness. Dance \ Vibe style Dean doesn't dance often, but when he does it's Line Dancing in country bars. He's more of a musical man as evidenced by the talent he shows when playing his fiddle. The instrument was a gift from his maternal grandfather - the Dames were a musical lot as well as a godly one - and it remains his prized possession. Dean's vibes are sound-based rather than dance-based. He found that he could deliberately put people at ease when talking and if he ramped up the accent and particular turns of speech native to Appalachia he could completely disarm them and even make unfriendly opponents turn friendly (or at least view him as a non-threat). When playing his fiddle, he can evoke strong, almost primordial emotions in his audience. These feelings leave them unable to act and can range from crippling sadness to a high-like euphoria. The effects can linger for hours or days depending on the individual target. > Character Relationships '''Funk Mafia The UG Lothario: This guy seems alright. Dean's intrigued by his 'bots and grateful for the help the man's offered to give in getting his beloved Camaro up and running for good. He's got a funny accent, though. Banditos Dexy: Dean's taken a bit of a shine to the young roller girl and trusts her with the messages he needs to convey around town. He thinks she's mighty pretty and enjoys flirting with her (though it's all for fun ... probably.) Squares Odette: He and Odette used to date a year or so back. He still holds no small amount of affection for the girl and has no qualms about coming to her aid when patrons at the Lounge get out of hand. Miscellaneous Information Has several tattoos: *Left arm is a Kentucky-themed sleeve (still in the works). From bicep to wrist you have: A blue crescent moon over a mountain range, a miner's helmet superimposed over a crossed pickaxe and shovel, a red heart flanked by roses with a banner reading 'MOM', a red cardinal sitting on a branch of goldenrod, a Bible with a banner reading 'Deo Gratiam Habeamus' (let us be grateful to God, KY's Latin motto) *Right bicep sports a pin-up girl and banner reading 'A Dame to Kill For' *Knuckles read PURE BRED *A whiskey jug with two X's is on the back of his left hand; the X's are for his brother and father, both of whom he lost to drink *A pistol is tattooed on his left hip *'pon M'onor is tattooed in script across his chest; it's an Appalachian saying & one he holds close to heart He gets around the city on a suped up racing motorcycle. His car, a vintage Camaro, is in a constant state of needing repairs. Dean is always armed. His weapon of choice is a Smith&Wesson .375 five-shot revolver. He's also partial to wrenches and hammers. Dean's home is full of things from the outside world. His parents brought near everything they owned with them, most of it family heirlooms and things of sentimental value. This includes (but is not limited to): *a family Bible with the family's tree written in it *Meemaw Dame's cook book *Samuel's mining equipment *photo albums *china from the Dames *letters from home *old toys, magazines, posters *a VCR with tapes (mostly Disney movies; all of it gotten second-hand) *quilts made by both grandmothers and various aunts *Katie Mae's sewing and stitching things including an unfinished dress for Amaryllis Category:Roller Banditos